Stan Doney, currently BSUK's
Regional Coach and Club Development Officer for the South East, has been appointed to a new BSUK staff position that will be funded jointly by BSUK and the BSF. The new role, which will start 1 December, will be that of Development Officer and Softball Programmes Manager, and will include oversight over all softball national team programmes.
In the new post, which is the first to be funded jointly by BSUK and a Federation, Stan's time will be divided between workloads specific to each organisation. His BSUK workload will include management of the new facilities at Farnham Park and community development around those facilities for both baseball and softball, while his BSF workload will be to direct and develop GB national team programmes and enhance coaching support for those teams.
In terms of his BSF workload, Stan will be taking over from former GB Fastpitch Programmes Director Hayley Scott, who has moved back to South Africa after overseeing GB Fastpitch programmes since 2008. Hayley will, however, continue as Head Coach of the GB Women's Team in 2013.
The background that Stan brings to the new position, along with his years as a BSUK Regional Coach, a key instructor at Academy Softball and Director of the Great Britain Fastpitch League, also includes fastpitch playing and coaching experience in New Zealand, Australia and Denmark along with his time as Head Coach of the GB Under-13 Girls' Team in 2008 and 2009, the GB Under-19 Women's Team in 2010, the GB Under-19 Men's Team in 2011 and as an Assistant Coach for the GB Men's Team in 2012. Stan will retain this position with the GB Men's Team at the ISF Men's World Championships in March 2013 in New Zealand.
OTHER APPOINTMENTS
The BSF has also announced another key appointment related to national teams.
Beth Perkins, a BSF General Officer who is currently head of the East Midlands Softball League and an Assistant Coach for the GB U-13 Team, has been appointed to the role of National Teams Officer on the BSF Executive. This post has been vacant for the past several years, but the BSF regards it as important that the role has finally been filled.
As the BSF National Teams Officer, Beth will also become Chair of the GB Management Committee, replacing Bob Fromer who has been Chair, Secretary and Treasurer for the Committee since it was founded in 2009.
Bob stepped down from these roles following the Committee's most recent meeting in September, but will remain on the group in a non-executive capacity.
Both the BSF and the GB Management Committee have expressed their thanks to Hayley Scott and Bob Fromer for all the work they have done in relation to GB Fastpitch programmes over the years, as well as the work they will continue to do.
The GB Management committee is, however, looking for a new Treasurer, whose main job will be to oversee a bank account set up to manage income and expenditure for competition trips by GB youth fastpitch teams. Anyone interested in the job, or in more information about it, should contact Beth Perkins.
NATIONAL TEAM STAFF
While some GB national team staff positions remain to be filled for 2013, the majority of staff members are now in place for what should be an extremely busy competition year.
During 2013, both the GB Men's and GB Under-19 Women's Fastpitch Teams will compete in ISF World Championships, while the GB Women's Team, GB Slowpitch Team and the GB Under-19 Men, Under-16 Girls and Under-13 Girls (plus possibly the London Cubs, the U-13 Development Team) will compete in European Championships or their equivalent. It is the first time in GB Softball history that all national teams will be playing in official ESF or ISF competitions in the same year.
Some staff changes have been made from the 2012 season because the GB Management Committee has adopted a policy that Head Coaches of GB youth teams are required to live in the UK, so that they can train with and get to know the players in their charge throughout the year. This policy is designed for the benefit of young players in GB programmes, even though it may restrict the pool of people willing to coach at youth level.
Here are the staff appointments made so far:
GB Women
Head Coach: Hayley Scott
Assistant Coach: Robbie Robison
Pitching Coach: Megan Brown
A Team Manager and Physio are still to be appointed.
GB Men
Head Coach: Russ Snow
Assistant Coaches: Stan Doney and Barry Doney
Team Manager: Steve Fullan
Assistant Manager: Ross Smith
Physio: Sandra Achtenburg
Team Cook: Beth Darby
Scorer: Christine Jacka
GB Slowpitch
Head Coach: Steve Patterson
Assistant Coaches: Robbie Robison, Martin Cartledge
Support Coaches: Lukas Kelly, Mike Ashley, Liz Warner
Team Manager/Assistant Coach: Sara Vertigan
Assistant Manager/Scorer: John Lehmann
GB Under-19 Women
Head Coach: Rachael Watkeys